Joys of the Season
by Strawberry'd
Summary: [Multipairing'd] A collection of 3 Christmas fics featuring your favourite DC pairings! 02: Here Comes Santa Claus. Shinichi and Ran celebrate Christmas together with their son.
1. HeiKazu: O Christmas Tree

**O Christmas Tree**

_Strawberry'd_

Heiji x Kazuha

Dec 14/06

* * *

_O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!  
Thy leaves are so unchanging;_

Toyama Kazuha stamped her feet and rubbed her hands together. Of course she wouldn't get any warmer, but there was to harm in trying, right?

She scanned the large crowd, searching for a glimpse of dark skin, and a yellow scarf. Heiji had gone out wearing a yellow scarf (which she bought him) and his skin… well, there weren't many people in Japan that looked like Heiji.

"Where is he?" She muttered, desperately trying to stay warm in the freezing outdoors. "I don't see a point in this at all."

A few minutes later of grumbling, Kazuha decided that perhaps he got lost and needed her help. He was, after all, a man.

"Heiji, you ahou," Kazuha said, taking a deep breath and instantly regretting it. The cold air burned her lungs. She started on her trek shivering, with lips pursed and hands stuffed deep into pockets.

For a while, Kazuha merely mingled with all the other people that were there, growing more and more frustrated as time went on. Heiji was no where to be found! There was so many people here… how was she to find one specific person out of the hundred?

"Think," she told herself. "What's a means of communication that could get to him without having to yell my heart out…?" And then it dawned on her. She had a cell phone. He had a cell phone.

She mentally kicked herself for not thinking of this before. Heiji would never let her live this down.

Whipping out her cell phone, Kazuha stared at it in disbelief. It was… off all this time? She giggled nervously as the mobile phone slowly started up again. _32 Missed Calls…_

"Oh, no," Heiji was probably furious. A little anxious, she listened to the 17 messages she had on her voice mail.

"Ahou! Where are you? It's freezing! Get back to the car!"

"Kazuha, you ahou! I thought I told you to stay by the car!"

"The _car_, Kazuha! Where the hell are you?"

"If you make me go look for you, Kazuha, I swear…"

And the rest of the messages went on in the same fashion. Grimly, she deleted all 16 messages from Heiji (one was from Ran), and started back for the car. She braced herself for the tirade that would await her return.

* * *

"And then I got back, lugging the stupid tree, and you weren't even there!" Heiji snapped at her, driving rather haphazardly. 

"I know, I'm sorry. Please keep your eyes on the road."

"And it was freezing out there! For some reason, you had the keys, so I couldn't even go into the car to warm up!"

"Like I'd trust you with car keys!" Kazuha retorted back, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I don't even know why you're driving right now! You're going to get us killed!"

He took his eyes off the road for a long moment to glare at her. "At least I keep my cell phone on for emergencies!"

"It was an accident! KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD, AHOU!"

Kazuha sighed, clutching the seat belt. It was going to be a long ride home.

* * *

Heiji squinted at the large evergreen sitting in his living room. "It's slanted." 

Kazuha sighed, boredly, flipping a magazine. "So fix it."

"Help me."

"No."

"Ahou."

"You're the ahou, ahou."

Heiji was about to retort something back, but thought better of it. "Pleaseee?" He wheedled, giving her his best puppy-dog-eyes.

Kazuha looked up from her magazine and gave the tree her undivided attention. "Tilt it towards the left." And then went back to her magazine.

"Kazuha! Help me! You were the one that wanted to have the tree!"

"Fine, fine." Kazuha knew she'd give in anyways. Besides, it _was_ her idea. "Okay, where'd you put the lights?"

"Lights…?"

"Heiji!" He chuckled and ducked her oncoming fist.

"I'll go get them, don't panic." He grinned cheekily at her, and started for the attic. Kazuha rolled her eyes and planted her hands on her hips.

"It's not a very straight tree," she said, trying to push it the other way.

"I don't think we should be pointing out its sexual orientation," Heiji smirked, hearing her offhand comment on his way downstairs. "I'm sure the tree wouldn't like that."

Kazuha took the box of lights and set it on the floor. Next came the box of ornaments, and Kazuha placed that down beside the lights. The ornaments were a present from her mother, after she and Heiji moved in together. That's right. They were _dating_.

Heiji sat down on the couch and was about to reach for the magazine Kazuha had left when she slapped his hand. "If you're making me help, you have to help too." She thrust the box of lights in his general direction. "Here, untangle them."

He stared at his daunting task. "And what are you going to do?"

"I," she said with a flourish, "am going to make some hot chocolate."

She smiled, listening to him grumble as she opened the fridge to get some milk.

* * *

Two hours, six cups of hot chocolate, and eighteen "ahou's" later, their tree was complete. 

"There, isn't it pretty?" Kazuha grinned triumphantly at the Christmas tree she just decorated. Bright coloured lights twinkled back at her, nestled as they were between the boughs of the evergreen tree. The fresh scent of pine filled the room and Kazuha felt at peace.

"It's still not straight."

She snorted, and sat beside him on the couch, nursing her fourth glass of hot chocolate. "I think it's perfect."

Heiji wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. "Probably. But it's still not straight."

"Ahou," she mumbled, lulled by the warm cocoa, the crackling fire, and the rise and fall of Heiji's chest beneath her cheek.

"I love you, too."

* * *

**AN:** And that's it. 973 words, written in about 30 minutes. This is the first in 12 Christmas fics that I'll be writing this holiday season! Three Heiji/Kazuha, three Shinichi/Ran, three Kaitou/Aoko and three mystery pairings will sum up my fic. I hope you all liked that. It's a little ooc, since I don't have a great grasp for their characters. XD;; I hope I don't totally screw up the other pairings. Uhhh, dedicated tooo **Candyland** for writing awesome DC fics. I hope you all like it, and happy holidays! 


	2. ShinRan: Here Comes Santa Claus

**Here Comes Santa Claus**

_Strawberry'd_

Shinichi x Ran

Dec 16/06

* * *

_Here comes Santa Claus!_

_Right down Santa Claus Lane!_

"It's off to bed with you now." Shinichi placed his hands on the young boy's shoulders and tried to steer him down the hallway. "It's getting late."

"But," the boy protested, clinging to the couch. "I wanna spend more time with mommy!"

"She'll be there when you wake up in the morning." He gave his best stern father look, but he wasn't sure how well he could pull it off.

"You know what they say: Santa Claus won't come if you're not in bed by midnight." Ran gave a fond look at her son and shooed him off. "Go to bed now. I'll wake you up bright and early tomorrow."

Mamoru gave his mother a bright smile and escaped his father's grasp to give her a hug. "Good night, mommy!"

Shinichi frowned at this exchange. "Don't I get a hug too?"

"Nope!" The boy of four years scampered up the stairs with a mischievous grin. They could hear him running around, with faint cries of "Santa is coming!" finding their way to the pair's ears.

"I don't know why he likes you better," Shinichi started, plopping down on the couch. "I'm obviously the cooler one."

"So you think."

"I am!"

"You're nothing but a mystery geek. You've been one all your life." Ran rolled her eyes at the offended look her spouse gave her.

"It's not my fault I'm a genius at solving mysteries." He defended himself as he had many times ago in the past.

"You're right; it's your father's. And I won't have you corrupting our son like that as well."

"It's hereditary!"

Ran gave Shinichi a playful slap to the shoulder. "Then be glad you've got my genes to lessen the damage." Shinichi made a snorting sound and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't be mad," she said, smiling. "I forgave you for that Conan stunt you pulled, so I'll forgive you if you corrupted my child." A pause. "With time."

"I feel so loved." Shinichi mock-glared at her before pulling Ran into his arms. He nodded towards the clock that had just softly chimed the hour: midnight. "Merry Christmas, Ran."

She gave him a peck on the nose before pushing him away. "I'm going to make some warm milk. Do you want some?"

He grinned ruefully and shook his head. "I'd prefer some wine, but I know you won't get me any." She shook her head and headed off to the kitchen. He heard her tinkling laugh from inside the kitchen and a warm feeling spread through him.

How had he been so fortunate? Not only was he successful at what he did, had great friends, and wonderful (somewhat) parents, he had a beautiful and caring wife, and the cutest son a man could have. He was truly blessed.

"Here you are." A voice broke him out of his reverie. A glass of ruby-red wine was placed in front of him. "This is your Christmas present."

"Ran! Don't be so stingy." Shinichi took a sip of his wine and smiled. It had been far too long without his wine. Not that he was an alcoholic or anything; Ran would never let him in her house like that.

She gingerly sat down beside him and leaned against his lean frame. "Warm milk makes me sleepy."

"Really, now? I would have never guessed." His sarcastic comment was laced with good humour and fondness. "I'll wake up you later," he promised, seeing her eyes droop and wrapped her in a warm blanket.

Shinichi had every intention of waking Ran up, except he didn't. He fell asleep alongside her.

* * *

In the morning, both Shinichi and Ran were rudely awakened by Mamoru. He shook them both and even pinched his father's cheek to get them awake. "Get up! It's Christmas! Christmas!" 

Ran woke up first, stirring against her husband and finding her back oddly cramped. Shinichi was next, sitting up and blinking his eyes blearily. "Whaa…?"

"Shinichi! You didn't wake me up!" Ran accused her husband, planting her hands on her hips as she stood up. "You fell asleep too!"

"I'm sorry," he whined, taking the blanket Ran discarded and covering his face with it. "Five more minutes please."

"Dad, dad!" Their son jumped on the still form of Shinichi and promptly began to shake his father. "Look at all the presents Santa brought me! Look, look!"

Shinichi made a grumbling sound underneath the covers and then playfully pushed Mamoru off him. "Let's go see what Santa brought you, kiddo. Maybe one of his elves left me something too?"

"Probably not, dad. You weren't nice this year!" Ran laughed at that and ruffled her son's hair. Shinichi huffed and started to race his son to see who could unwrap presents the fastest. He lost, but not from lack of trying.

"This is for you, mommy," Mamoru presented Ran with a messily wrapped present. "Dad helped me wrap it." Ran opened it, ooh-ing and ahh-ing like a good mother would. Inside was a homemade frame, enclosing a picture of the three of them, playing picturesquely in a field of snow.

"It's wonderful," she said, picking up Mamoru and squeezing him tightly. "I love it." The boy radiated happiness as he waded back toward his large bundle of presents, almost smothered by the great amount of wrapping paper.

"Eh?" Shinichi cried out, "Where are my presents?"

"I'm saving yours for later," Ran said with a smile. "I hope you'll like it."

He smiled back, uncertainly. "I'm sure I will, but what about yours, Mamoru? Where's my present from you?"

"I went shopping with Uncle Heiji and he's got it!" Mamoru chirped.

Shinichi puffed out his cheeks, looking like a monkey. "No presents on Christmas morning," he muttered, sitting dejectedly on the floor.

"Not quite," Ran said, pointing upwards. "Look."

Reluctantly, Shinichi looked towards the ceiling. "Mistletoe? What's that got to do with any – mmph!" They broke apart after a while. Mamoru had tactfully averted his eyes.

"So?" Shinichi breathed, "Was that my present?"

"Not all of it." Ran took a deep breath and decided to tell him right then and there. "I'm pregnant."

It took a while to sink in, but after it did… well, let's just say the two of them didn't really _breathe_ for a while.

"Merry Christmas, Shinichi."

* * *

**AN:** And this is my second fic! I'm making pretty good progress, I think. I wrote the entire thing in about 40 minutes, after being quite distracted by a Mr. Alton Brown (who is love, omg). So this is the second one… and that means 10 more to go. I've got about 9 days left till Christmas day, so I'll probably get four done this weekend. XD And then maybe one a day from then on. I hope you all liked this, and thanks very much to the reviewers of the last chapter! Look forward to the next one: Kaito x Aoko. Thank you! 


End file.
